As farmers across the state watch their crops wash away due to excessive or unseasonal rains, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, from the Ajit Pawar-led faction, has allegedly been caught playing a mobile card game during a session of the state legislature. However, the minister has responded to the allegations, refuting the charges and claiming that it was a YouTube advertisement that appeared when he opened his phone to follow the House proceedings.

Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, posted a video on social media platform X, showing Kokate, MLA from the Sinnar Assembly constituency seemingly engaged in a mobile game on the floor of the House during the legislature session.

Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew, Rohit, wrote in his tweet, “NCP (Ajit Pawar camp) cannot do anything without asking BJP. In the state, eight farmers are dying by suicide every day, and several issues remain unresolved. But since there is no work to do, it may be time to play rummy for the Agriculture Minister.” This is not the first time Kokate, an MLA from Nashik’s Sinnar constituency, has stirred controversy. He has previously made headlines for his controversial statements, particularly those related to farmers.